Archive Year 2022

This quarter, sustainNU launched a new Green Labs Certification program, similar to our existing Green Office Certification, to help lab users adopt more sustainable practices. This voluntary certification program engages campus partners in best practices for sustainable lab management and operations, without sacrificing research quality or lab safety.

The upcoming winter recess is a time for our campus community to recharge and renew. During this time, Facilities identifies locations where temperatures can be reduced, lighting turned off, and fans minimized in some unoccupied spaces.

Northwestern’s Associated Student Government (ASG) Sustainability Committee partnered with sustainNU to pilot a “zero waste” football game, testing the concept of having fan-facing compost collection bins in Ryan Field. While there is a long way to go to get to zero waste at Ryan Field, much was learned from this pilot that will inform progress in the future.

Northwestern was honored in Washington, DC during the 2022 Award Ceremony for the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Postsecondary and District Sustainability Awards. The University was recognized for our innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education.

Thank you for celebrating Earth Month with sustainNU! Our events engaged students, faculty, and staff in practicing sustainability in their daily lives.

Northwestern University has received the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the third consecutive year. In 2020, Northwestern became the first university to ever receive the prestigious award.

Whether you’re a Chicagoland native or a freshman from California experiencing your first Windy City winter, it’s not hard to understand why Chicago is infamous for having one of the harshest winters in the country. In the winter season, Chicago gets an average 28.1 inches of snowfall and has an average temperature of 26.4°F, but the wind from Lake Michigan can sometimes make it feel like it’s colder than Siberia. However, with climate change, Chicago winters are – well – changing.

To achieve significant energy savings, Northwestern is partnering with Ameresco, Inc., a leading cleantech company specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, to reduce the University’s carbon footprint. In addition to providing energy management, Ameresco employs two full-time co-op internships each quarter for science or engineering students who are interested in energy and sustainability.

A new reusable container program has been rolled out in the dining halls on campus. Last quarter, many of the reusable containers were not returned leaving the program depleted and a lot of reusable containers lost to the landfill. Northwestern Dining and Student Affair worked to reinstate the program, rolling out the new, green OZZI containers at the end of January.